Similar to other sports shoes, studded shoes, such as soccer shoes, are currently mass produced. During the early days of the game of soccer, the shoes were individually manufactured by a craftsman. The shoemaker did not only take the specific anatomy of the player into account, but also his preferences concerning, for example, the selection of material or the outer design of the shoe. Apart from being provided in a series of predetermined sizes, mass produced soccer shoes have, however, generally the same properties, such as color, shape, hardness of the sole, etc. An individual adaptation to anatomic requirements and aesthetic preferences of the player is, if at all, only possible to a limited extent.
Several approaches are known in the prior art to provide exchangeable studs that allow a wearer to adapt the gripping properties of a studded shoe to changing ground conditions. As an example, screw studs are mentioned, wherein the stud includes a screw-like projection that is releasably screwed into the threads of the shoe sole.
Apart from the exchange of studs, options for the individual adaptation of a studded shoe, such as a soccer shoe, are lacking. On the contrary, the prior art teaches that a studded shoe, which is subjected to high mechanical loads during use, has to be provided as a compact and stable arrangement of permanently interconnected components (sole, upper, etc.). Only the studs can be replaced in the described manner. Optionally, an additional inlay sole may be used. Properties, such as the shape, the hardness, and the weight of the sole, as well as properties of the upper, such as the lacing system, ventilation properties or—in case of soccer shoes—structural elements on the upper for improving the accuracy of a shot, are not modifiable. This distinguishes studded shoes fundamentally from certain other types of shoes, for example dress shoes for women, for which a kind of toolbox system is known from German patent no. DE 202 08 713 U1, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
It has been found, however, that there is a considerable need for the ability to individualize studded shoes to a greater extent, either due to biomechanical requirements or for accommodating the aesthetic preferences of a player. There is, therefore, a need for a studded shoe having a different and better construction than known in the prior art, the shoe being adaptable to the individual requirements and preferences of a player.